Waste disposal device having a discharge pocket covered by a shredding screen



Oct. 16, 1956 Filed Jan. 7, 1953 s. l.. LOCKLEY ET AL 2,766,942

WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE POCKET COVERED BY A SHREDDINGSCREEN 3 Sheets-Sheet l will' BY ,4pc/fe@ M4 Pfc/maas IMM? rroeNExS Oct.16. 1956 s. L. LocKLEY ET AL 2,766,942

WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE POCKET COVERED BY A SHREDDINGSCREEN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1953 Y 5 l Donk,

T C H mom w W fm wm Oct. 16, 1956 A s. L. LocKLEY ET AL 2,766,942

WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DISCHARGE POCKET COVERED BV A SHREDDINCSCREEN Filed Jan. '7, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l G. '7

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United States Patent() 2,766,942V WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE HAVING A DIS-CHARGE POCKET COVERED BY A SHRED- DING SCREEN Sidney L. Lockley, NewCastle, Pa., and Archer W. Richards, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignors toLockley Machine Company, New Castle, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania't Application January 7, 1953, Serial No. 329,95'4

4 Claims. A(Cl. 241-46) Another object is to provide a novelcomminu-ting de` vice of this character in which'the screen is also ashredding member having shredding elements thereon adjacent the openingsthereof and presented toward the grinding chamber.

Still another object is to provide a novel comminuting device having avertical-axis grinding chamber and a disk rotor operable in the chamberadjacent the lower end thereof in a relatively closely spaced runningrelation .to the side wall and to a screen extending across an outletopening in such side wall, and in which the rotor and screen havecooperating shredding elements thereon.

A further object is to provide 'a novel comminuting device of thecharacter just mentioned in whichv portions of the outlet opening extendabove and below the rotor, and in which the grinding chambercommunicates with the outlet opening through an upper perforated portionof the screen and the space below the rotor communicates with the outletopening through a lower serrated portion of the screen.

Yet another object is to provide a novel comminuting device of the kindabove indicated in which the shredding screen is a curved plate and theshredding elements are inwardly projecting shoulders or shearing edgesformed by inwardly otfset portions of the plate.

As a further object, this invention provides a novel comminuating deviceof the character above referred to in which the screen is held againstseat means of the housing by a housing part which is removable to affordaccess to the screen from the exterior of the device.

It is also an object to prov-ide a novel comminuting device of thecharacter mentioned above in which the rotor is mounted on the shaft ofa direct-connected electric motor and in which the motor is capable oflimited shifting transversely of its rotation axis for varying theoperating clearance between the rotor and screen.

The invention can be further bn'ey summarized as consisting in certainnovel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andparticularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, forming a part hereof: v

Fig. l is a side elevation of a comminuting'devce embodying the presentinvention, the device being shown I with certain portions thereof brokenaway;

l` ce Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken substantially asindicated by section line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and further illustrating thecooperation of the impeller means with the shredding screen;

Fig. 4 is an elevation representing a face view of theY shreddingscreen, with the screen in detached relation and as seen from theshredding side thereof;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the shredding screen onsection line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse section of the shredding screen on anenlarged scale and taken approximately as indicated by section line 6 6of Fig. 4; i

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the rotor showing .the same in detachedrelation; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rotor.

The novel comminuting device 10 represents one practi- 1 cal embodimentof the present invention, and comprises in general, a grinding unit 11and an electric driving motor 12, preferably a reversible motor,direct-connected with the grinding unit and located at the lower end ofthe grinder housing 13. The comminuting device 10 is' here shown asbeing suspended from the bottom Wall 14 of a kitchen sink, or the like,and with which the device is connected by a coupling 15 Ahavinga-threaded connection 16 with the grinder housing 13. The coupling 15holds the upper end of the grinder housing in clamped engagement withthe sink wall 14 with a suitable` packing 17 interposed therebetween andthe axial passage of the coupling provides an inlet opening 18 throughvwhich the garbage or other material to be comminuted is introduced intothe grinding chamber 20 of the grindv ing unit.

In addition to the housing 13, the grinding unit 111 comprises a rotor21 operable in the grinding chamber 20 and connected with the shaft 22of the electric motor* 12. The grinding unit 11 also includes aretaining and shredding screen 23 located in the housing 13v and withYwhich the rotor 21 cooperates, as will be further ex? plainedhereinafter. The housing 13 is an upright hollow housing such that thegrinding chamber 20 defined thereby, is a substantially vertical-axisgrinding chamber. At its lower end, the housing 13 is provided with atransverse wall 24 form-V ing the bottom Wall of the grinding chamberand a dejv pending annular flange or skirt 25 extending below suchtransverse wall. The depending flange 25 defines an up-i` wardlyextending pocketV 25a in the underside of the housing 13. On one side ofthe vertical axis 26 of the grinding chamber 2.0, the housing 13is-provided with an outlet opening 27 in the side wall thereof andwhichv connects the grinding chamber with the delivery passage 28 of adischarge nozzle or spout 29. The outlet opening 27 is in the form of apocket or' recess opening radially through the side wall of the housing13 and extending arcuately of the side wall of the' housing for asubstantial portion of the circumference of the grinding chamber.VThearcuate extent of the screen 23 is shown in the drawings (Fig. 2) asbeing on the order of 'a 45 degree portion of the wall circumference ofthe' grinding chamber 20, that is to say, a minor portion lof suchcircumference and does not, in any case, exceed 90 degrees in arcuateextent. The outlet opening or pocket i 27 is located with its lower edgesubstantially ush with Fig. 2 is a partial transverse section onuasomewhat larger scale and taken as indicated section 2-2 of Fig. 1, butwith an impeller of the rotor shownradjacent the shredding screen; v

the top surface 24a of the transverse bottom wall 24, and extendsvertically of the grinding chamber 20 for a4 distance such that a minorportion of the outlet opening f is below the rotor 21 `and a majorportion of the outlet :s opening is above the rotor. The outer 4annularportion of the wall surface 24a preferably slopes downwardly andoutwardly toward the side wall of the grinding chamber 20, as shown inFig. 1 v v; vThe rotor 21 is a diskshaped member having adepend-l Y40and 41. clamped against the seats 42 and 43 by a pair of lug proinghollow'eentral hub or shaft portion 30 extending downwardly Vthrough asubstantially central opening 31 of Vthe transverse bottom wall 24 andtelescopingly engaging the motorY shafty22. The rotor-,21 is connectedwith the Y motor -shaft by key and setscrew elements-32 and V33 providedin the hubV portion 30 and is normally drivenin a counterclockwisedirection as indicatedY by the arrow 21a. The motor yshaft'22 andtherotor 21 are disposed with their rotation axes substantially coincidentwith the axis 260i the grinding chamber.

Leakage of liquid out o-f the grinding chamber 2) and around'the driveshaft means for the rotor 21V is prevented byla suitable packing 34disposed around the hubfPQrtion 30, as shown in Fig. l. Therpacking34-has its upper end Vextending into an annular counter/bore 35 oftherotor 2 1 and its lower endseated in a counterbore 36 of thetransverseibottomV wall V24.

The rotor 21 is located at the lower end of the grinding.

chamber and relatively close to the bottom wall 24, but with anintervening space 37 therebetween. The a`n,

. nular rim portion 38'of the rotor is in relatively closelyY VV Y`2,763,943 f Y Y' Y. if

grinding chamber 20 throughrthis clearanceV space into l adjacent therimV portion 38 of the'rotor and serve as an impelling means which.imparts a rotary or whirling mo'- V tion to the waste materialcontained in thergrinding chamber and also act as shredding elements, aswill be further explained hereinafter.

. The screen 23 forms ya portion of the side wall of the Y grindingchamber 20 andis preferably curved to substanrtially the same curvaturesuch that the portionof the screen presented toward the grinding chamberwill conform with,v and'constitute a `substantially flush continuationof, suchY side wall of the grinding chamber. The

screen can embody any one Yof various specific forms ofV constructionand is here shown as comprising a generally rectangular metal platehaving flatrnarrow vertical side flanges 40 and 41, and a body portionbetween the ianges andcorresponding generally as to its lateral andvertical dimensions with the lateral and vertical dimensions of theoutlet opening 27. Y Y

The'screen 23 is mounted in the outlet opening. 27 lof A.'

the housing 13 by providing the housing with a pair of outwardly facingsubstantially parallel spaced verticalV seats 42 and 43 located onopposite sides of the outlet opening and which are engaged by thevertical side flanges The anges 40 and 41 of the screen are jections 44and 45 of a housing section 46 which `forms a cover for the outletopening 27 outwardly of the screen. The housing section 46 also carriesthe above-mentioned discharge nozzle 29 having the delivery passage 28therein.

The housing section V46 is connected with the main housing 13 bysuitable screws 47, such that this housing section will be removable foraifording access to the screen 23 and will permit removal or replacementof the screen from the Yexterior of 'the device. A suitable gasket 48Vis interposed between the main housing 13 Vand the removable housingsection 46.

The screen 23 is provided with numerous openings or perforations V50which extend through the metal plate and are distributed over the curvedbody portion ofthe screen, that is, over the plate area which is exposedto the grindingchaniber 20. The openings 50 can be formed in 'the screen23 by any suitable punching or dr' g operations and are here shown asbeing disposed with their axes sub-` stantially parallel to each other.These openings are of Va size suitable to the grinding YYoperationintended to be performed by the Vcomminutingdevice 10 and such that theywillprevent the escaperof pieces' or" the Vwaistermaterrial from thegrinding chamber until thewaste material has been reduced to particlesof a desired fmeness and which particles will then'be capableofpassing'freely through the screen-openings.rv Ihejopenings 50 may, Yforexample,v be on the vorder of three sixteenths of aninch in diameteralthough holes ofV a larger orsmaller size can be used if desired. Y v

' In addition to servingras a temporary confiningrmeans exposed oreective surface thereof and located adjacentV to the Vopenings 50 or themajor portion of these openings.V Theshredding elements 51 are hereshown as comprising .n

arcuate Yshearing edges or shoulders 52 located on one side of theopenings 50 and extending partway around Y such openings and exposed bythe openings to the contents of the grinding chamber 20.Y y

The shredding elements S1 are preferably formedby inwardly offsetintegral portions of the metal plate of the screen 23. These shreddingelements can be formed on the screen 23 by any suitable operationcarried out on the metal plate, such as a stamping or embossing op.-

eration. AsY hereY shown, the shredding elements 51.*arek in the form offorwardly Yp'rotriiding bosses which have been formedon the inner Vorfront face 53 ofthe screen by the formation of recessesv S4 in the rearor outer faceV By the formation oftheserecesses inthe Y of the plate.outer face by means of suitable dies, some ofthe metal of the plate isdisplaced or offset inwardlyV causing the solid shredding elements 51torbe s'wedged or embossed on the inner surface of the metal plate whileleaving the openings 50 as full-'width circular openings. By locatingthe recesses 54 suchV that they partially overlap the openings 504 ofthe screen, the. shredding elements 51 will be formed Vin Vsuchlocationthat they constitute a portionrof the side wall of thefopeningsand such that v the arcuate or crescent-shaped shearing'edges 52 will beexposed 'to the grinding lchamber by the openings. The j screen 23V canbe hardened or otherwise rendered wear resistant after the shreddingelements 51 have been formed thereon. Y

The body ofthe screen containing theropen'ing'sj 50 and the shreddingelements 51 constitutes the major portion of 'the'screen'anm when thescreen is assembled Yin the grinding unit 11 in the positionV shown inFig. l,

this major or perforated portionof the screen extends above the rotor21. The lower or minor .portion of the have `a minimum width vat thelower end thereof and increase progressively in widththerealong fromtheir lower ends to their upper ends.

In the assembled position Vof the screen 23 in the housing 13, therounded lower ends 4084 and 4120i the sideV flanges 40and 41 ofthescreen engage laterally extending shoulders provided on the housingatrtherlower ends of the vertical 'seats 42 and 43. This engagementofthe rounded flange portions 40a and34 1 rwitl'itlfte housing 13,positions the screen 23 vertically of the outlet opening 27 such thatthe lower ends of the shredding elements 56 will be separated from thelower edge 27a of the outlet opening by the intervening space 59. Inthis assembled position of the screen 23, the shredding elements 56 aredisposed in an arcuately extending series across the lower portion ofthe outlet opening 27 and lie opposite the rim portion 33 of the rotor21 in a relatively closely spaced relation to the latter, as shown inFigs. l and 3.

As shown in the drawings, the impellers 39 of the rotor 21 each comprisean upright lug formed as an integral part of the disk portion of therotor. The lug is of a somewhat triangular shape having oppositely bowedconvexly curved side walls 69 and 61 and a generally at rearwardlysloping top wall 62. rThe outer side wall 61 conforms substantially tothe curvature of the peripheral surface of the rim portion 38 of therotor. The intersection of the side walls 60 and 61 occurs at a verticalapex line dening a relatively sharp leading edge 63 located at andextending above the peripheral surface of the rim portion 38, as shownin Figs. 7 and 8.

By reason of the shape just described above for the impeller lugs 39, itwill be seen that the side surfaces 60 will present suicient area to thewaste material contained in the grinding chamber 26 that when the lugsare moved around the grinding chamber by the rotation of the rotor, thelugs will impart the above-mentioned rapid rotary or whirling movement-to the 'waste material or to a mixture of such waste material andwater. During such arcuate travel of the lugs 39 around the grindingchamber adjacent the side wall thereof, the sharp vertical leading edges63 of the lugs will act as shearing edges and will produce a comminutingeiect on the waste material.

The movement of the sharp leading edges 63 across the screen 23 will bein shearing relation to the shearing edges 52 of the shredding elementsS and will thereby produce a further comminution or grinding or" thewaste material. 'Ihe reverse slope of the top wall 62 of the impellerlugs 39 and the convexly curved shape of the side walls 60, render thelugs also eltective as deflecting members or plow elements for freeingthe rotor from a jammed condition when a reverse rotary movement isimparted to the rotor. During such a reverse rotary movement of therotor, the inclined top wall 62 and the curved side wall 60 will beeective in dellectlng waste material away from the screen 23 and towardthe central axis 26 of the grinding chamber to thereby unload thedriving motor and assist the same in correcting the jammed condition.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the rotor 2l is provided with substantiallydiametrically opposed edge recesses 64 which extend into the impellerlugs 39 and into the rim portion 38. These recesses serve as relier"spaces in the rotor and render the lugs 39 and the rim portion of therotor more eliective in their comminuting cooperation with the screen23. During this cooperation, the side edges of the recesses 64 act ascomminuting elements or shearing edges as they travel across theshredding elements 51 and 56 of the screen.

The whirling motion imparted to the waste material by the rotor 21 is avery important function in the operation of the comminuting device 10,because it results in the repeated movement of the pieces of WasteVmaterial across the screen 23 and also because it causes such pieces ofwaste material to be subjected to centrifugal force by which they arepressed against the screen during their movement thereacross. Thismovement of the pieces of waste material across the screen 23 whilebeing pressed thereagainst by centrifugal force, causes the wastematerial to be subjected to a Very effective shredding or comminutingaction by the shredding elements l.

When the pieces of waste material have been reduced to a suicientlineness by the comminuting or shredding action produced thereon by therotor 21 and the shredding screen 23, the particles pass through thescreen openings 50 and are discharged through the nozzle passage 28. Thecentrifugal force acting on the particles of waste material and thewater with which they are mixed, causes the ground material to bedischarged through the nozzle passage 2S as a Velocity stream withoutneed for any mechanical pump means to be embodied in the comminutingdevice l0. Whatever portion of the waste material nds its way downwardlypast the riin portion 38 of the rotor into the intervening space 37,will be discharged from beneath the rotor through the relatively clearopen space 59 and through the slots 58 of the screen.

The electric motor 12 includes a housing 65 and is connected with thegrinding unit 11 by being suspended from the depending flange 25 of thehousing 13. For this purpose, an annular sheet metal bracket 67 isinterposed between the grinding unit and motor and has the at annularweb portion 67a thereof connected with the upper end of the motorhousing by suitable screws 68. The bracket 67 includes an upturnedannular ange 69 extending around and connected with the depending llange25 by suitable screws 70. The bracket 67 also includes a frusto-conicalhollow central portion 7l which extends upwardly into the pocket 25a andaccommodates the upper bearing boss 72 of the motor housing.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, provisionis made for Varying lthe Width of the running space or clearance betweenthe impeller lugs 39 of the rotor 2l and the shredding screen 23. Forthis purpose, the holes of the at annular bracket portion 67 a of thebracket 67 are made sufficiently large to permit a limited shifting ofthe motor 12 in a direction transverse to the grinding chamber axis 26.Such shifting movement imparted to the motor in one transversedirection, will reduce the clearance space between impeller lugs 39 andthe screen 23, and shifting of the motor in the opposite direction willincrease this clearance space.

The transverse shifting of the motor l2 for adjusting this runningclearance of the impeller lugs 39 can be produced by adjusting screwmeans, such as the adjusting screw 73, which is here shown as having athreaded engagement 74 in the depending flange 25 at a point of thelatter which is on the opposite side of the axis 26 from the shreddingscreen 23. The screw 73 has the inner end thereof in engagement with oneof the hat side faces of a nut-shaped extension 75 of the upper bearingboss 72 of the motor. While the connecting screws 68 are in a slightlyloosened condition, the adjusting screw 73 is r0- tated in one directionor the other for positioning the motor in accordance with the runningclearance desired between the impeller lugs 39 and the screen 23.

The connection of the motor 12 with the depending llange 25 of thegrinder housing by means of the annular bracket 67, results in anintervening annular space 76 between this flange and the rounded portion12a of the motor housing. An annular grille 77 having numerous openingstherein, extends around the comminuting device in surrounding relationto the annular space 76 and with the upper and lower edges of suchgrille overlying the llange 25 and the motor housing 66. The grille 77improves the general appearance of the comminuting device and alsopermits the passage of a ow of Ventilating air therethrough inconnection with the cooling of the motor 12. The grille 77 is secured inplace in any suitable manner, such as by means of one or more screwsconnecting the same with the flange 69 of the bracket 67.

The comminuting device it) also includes a conduit member 78, preferablyof sheet metal, connected with the housing 13 and the motor 12 andextending vertically of the device externally thereof. The conduitmember 7S forms a support for a control switch 79 and also provides apassage 80 to accommodate electric wires extending to the motor.

The motor 12 is preferably a reversible motor so that position oppositeto its full line position.

reverse rotation can be imparted to therotor 21 when desired for thepurpose of releasing asjammed condition of the rotor -and duringwhichrreverse rotation the imeller lugs 39 accomplish their clearingfunction explained above. VThe switch 79 is asreversing switch having aY forward position in which the switch lever 79a is shown averse4aVtendingbelowsaid disk member, a shredding screen in said housing andextending across said pocket, said screen having a lower serratedportion and an upper perforated Y portion, and lug means rotatable withVand projecting of waste material and which is of a simple constructionA and does not require the use of any mechanical pump means therein. Itwill also be seen that this novel comminuting `device utilizesashredding screen with which the rotor cooperates ands/vhichV performsthe dual function of coniining the waste Ymaterial until it has beenground suiciently tine to pass through the opening of the screen andValso performs a comminuting orY grinding actionV on the waste materialduring passage of Vthe waste material thereover while'the wasteYmaterial Vis being pressed against the screen byV centrifugal force.Additionally, it will be seen that novel adjustment means providing forrelative shifting of the driving motor permits adjustmentsof theoperating clearance between the rotor and the shreddingscreen.

' Although the novel comminuting device has been illustrated anddescribed herein to asomewhat detailed extent,

it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to beregarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes allchanges and modications coming within the terms of the claims hereof. YY

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. in agcomminutingdevice, a housing having side andY bottom walls dening an upright workchamber adapted to receive material to be comminuted, saidside wallhaving a discharge pocket-therein facing toward said chamber, a rotorlocated adjacent to but-spaced above said bottomV wall and beingoperable to impart a-whjrling motion-to material-contained in saidchamber, said pocket extending from said bottom wall to a point locateda substantial distance above said rotor, and a shredding screen in saidhousingrand extending across said pocket, said screen having a lowerserrated portion and an upper 'perforated portion, the space betweensaid rotor and bottom vwall being in communication with said pocketthrough the f serrated portion of said screen and said chamber being incommunication with said pocket through the perforated portion of saidscreen.

2. In a comminuting device, a housing having side and bottom wallsdening an upright work chamber adapted to receive material to becomminuted, said side wall having a discharge pocket therein facingtoward said chamber, a rotor operable to impart a whirling motion tomaterial contained in said chamber and comprising a disk member locatedadjacent to but spaced above said bottom wall and having the peripheralkedge thereof in relatively close running relation to said side wall,said pocket being located'with a major portion of its height extendingabove said disk member and a minor portion of its height exabove saiddisk member in relatively close running rela;-V tion to said screen, thespace between said disk member and bottom wall being in Vcommunication'with said pocket through the serrated portion of said screen and said,chams ber being in communication with said pocket through theVperforated portionof said screen.

3. in a comminuting device, a housing defining a work chamber adapted toreceive material to be comminuted, Vsaid housing having a dischargeoutlet leading fromsaid work chamber, a drive shaft projecting into saidchamber, f Va rotor carried by said shaft and operable in said chamber,

a screen extending across said outletiand forming a portion of the wallof said chamber, shredding elementson said'screen and presented towardsaid chamber, impeller Y means on said rotor andmovable thereby aroundsaid chamber and across said screen in relatively closely spaced runningrelation to the latter, means mounting said shaft for rotation and forshifting transversely of its Vrotation axis for varying the spacing ofthe running relation of said impeller means'with said screen, andadjusting means adapted to cause such transverse shifting of said shaft.

4. In a comminuting device, a housing having side and bottom wallsdening a'substantially vertical-axisV grinding chamber, said side wallhaving an outlet opening thereinY Y on one side of the vertical axis, anelectric motor `at the lower end of said housing and having a rotatableshaft Y disposed substantially on said vertical axis, a screen ,in

said housingY extending across said outlet `opening and forming avportion of said side wall, a rotor mounted on and carried by said shaftand operable in said chamber Y adjacent said bottom wall, cooperatingshredding'y elements on said screen and rotor and the shreddingelementsof the rotor being movable around said chamber in relatively closelyspaced running relation to the shredding elements of said screen, meansconnecting said electric motor with the lower endV of said housing andadapted Y to permit limited shifting of said motor in a direction Ytransverse to said vertical axis, and adjusting screw means( located onthe opposite side of said axis and effective to cause Ysuch shifting ofsaid motor for varying the spacing ,Y

of the running relation between said rotor and screen.

References Cited in the file Vof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,666,014 Kershner Apr. 1Y0, 1928 1,768,462 Dixon et al. Y June24, 19301,869,833 Williams Aug. 2, 1932 2,105,759 Stevenson Ian. 18, 19382,234,425 Brady Mar. 11, 1941` Y 2,391,480 Ross Dec. 25, 1945 2,534,944Bissey Dec. 19, 1950 2,536,929 HammellV Ian. 2 1951 2,565,322 Y PowersAug. 21, 1951 V2,619,292 Nichols Nov. 25, 1952 2,629,558 Miller Feb. 24,1953 2,656,985 Backlund et al Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Y 482,779France Apr. 26, 19717 Miner Jan. 12, 1926

